The Phillies won’t be trading Joe Blanton to the Cardinals

By Feb 24, 2011, 8:20 AM EST
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Maybe that goes without saying, but given that a great number of Phillies fans half-jokingly — at least I hope it was half-jokingly — proposed a silly Joe Blanton-for-Colby Rasums trade after hearing about Adam Wainwright’s injury yesterday, it’s probably wise that Ruben Amaro put the kibosh on such nonsense immediately:

Whether the Phils would deal an accomplished pitcher such as Blanton to a league rival remains to be seen. Asked about Blanton on Wednesday, Amaro said, “He’ll be starting for us in the first week of April.”

Silly trade scenarios aside, there are two ways for competing teas to look at the Adam Wainwright injury: (a) as an opportunity to trade a pitcher on very favorable terms to a team in desperate need of one; or (b) as a cold-water-to-the-face moment in which you realize how just one damn thing going wrong could send your own season skidding sideways.

If you’re inclined to think in that latter, risk-averse fashion, you may be less likely to trade away a starting pitcher to a desperate Cardinals team today than you were yesterday. Because there, but for the grace your pitchers’ elbow ligaments, go you.  And won’t you feel dumb if one of your big guns goes down and you don’t have a Joe Blanton-type to help stop the bleeding?

Orioles sign OF Aaron Hicks, put Cedric Mullins on 10-day IL with groin strain

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 11:07 AM EDT
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles signed outfielder Aaron Hicks less than 24 hours after Cedric Mullins went down with a strained right groin.

Mullins went on the 10-day injured list, but the Orioles are hoping Hicks can help defensively in the spacious outfield at Camden Yards. Hicks was released last week by the New York Yankees with more than 2 1/2 seasons left on his contract.

“We had noticed that he was a free agent even before the injury,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “When the injury occurred and it became pretty clear this was going to be an IL, it seemed like a good fit even more so at that time.”

The Orioles are responsible for paying Hicks just $483,871, a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum salary. The Yankees owe him the rest of his $10.5 million salary this year, plus $9.5 million in each of the next two seasons and a $1 million buyout of a 2026 team option.

The 33-year-old Hicks hit just .188 in 28 games for the Yankees this year.

“We have stuff that we look at from a scouting and evaluation perspective,” Elias said. “It’s very different from just looking at the back of a baseball card, and we hope that we get a bounceback from anyone we bring here.”

Hicks batted .216 last season.

“Hopefully that’s a good thing for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Baltimore deal. “A lot of time here and a lot of good things happened for him here. I know the last couple of years have been a struggle. But hopefully it’s a good opportunity for him and certainly wish him well. Not too well being in our division and a team we’re chasing, but hopefully it’s a really good fit for him.”

Mullins left a loss to Cleveland after he pulled up while running out an infield grounder. Outfielder Colton Cowser – the fifth pick in the draft two years ago – is hitting .331 at Triple-A Norfolk, but he went on the IL in the past couple weeks.

“Certainly he was building a case towards promotion consideration prior to his injury and prior to Cedric’s injury,” Elias said. “We’ll just see where we’re at.”

Hicks was active for the game but not in the starting lineup. Austin Hays, normally Baltimore’s left field, was in Mullins’ usual spot in center.

When the wall in left at Camden Yards was pushed significantly back before last season, it made left field a bigger challenge defensively.

“In this park … you really need two center fielders,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Aaron’s got a lot of center-field experience. Played left field here before also. Brings the defensive aspect and then the switch-hitting.”